Railing structure



P. E. HUNTER RAILING STRUCTURE `May 2, 1933.

2 Shets-Sheet l FiledvOCb. 5, 1950 INVENTOR May 2, 1933. P. E. HUNTER RAILING STRUCTURE Filed ot. 3, 195o '2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented May 2, y 1933 PERCY E. HUNTER, A01E PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA RAILING STBUUEUBE c v Application led Octoberr, 1980. Serial No. 486,111.

My invention relates to railing structures such as are employed alongside highways, on bridges, etc.

Heretofore such structures have commonly consisted oflongitudinally-extending railsl by a vehicle, the rails will be torn loose from i the posts, unless the posts give way. In any event, the capacity of the structure to withstand shocks can be no greater than the strength of a post and its anchorage.

One object of my invention is to provide a structure wherein not only are the posts less likely to be broken or pulled from their anchorages, but a structure which is elective to withstand collisions" of vehicles therewith even though one or more of the posts be broken or loosened. i

Another object of my invention is to proeral appearance of the ordinary iron or steel 0 railing structure, but wherein suicient `tensional strength is provided at the junctures of the rail ends and elsewhere, to effectively support said rails individually against lateral deflections.

Another object of my invention is topi-ovide a railing structure that is ornamental in appearance, and which is nevertheless possessed of great strength and is comparatively inexpensive.

, Some of the forms which my invention may take are shown in the accompanying drawings wherein Figure 1 is a front elevational view of a portion of a railing structure; Fig. 2 is a view taken on the line II-II of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a sectional view similar to the view of Fig. 2, but showi a modification of the structure; Fig. 1 is a ragmentary view showing another modiication; Fig. 5 is a fragmentary front elevational view of another modification; Fig. 6 is a view taken on the line VI-VI of Fig. 5; Fig. 7 is a view similar to Fig. 5, but showing still another form of structure; Fig. 8 is a vertical sectional view of the structure of Fig. 7, and Figs. 9 to 13 respectively show modifications 55 of the intermediate rail structure and the pickets of Fig. 8;

Referring to Figs. 1 and 2, I show a structure composed generally of posts 20, top rails 21, intermediate rails 22, bottom rails 23, and .60 pickets .24 and 25. Only one of the posts 20 is shown on the drawings, but it will be understood that they will be placed at suitable intervals.

The post 20 is secured to or formed in- 65 teg-rally with a base 26 which is anchored by means of bolts 27 that may be secured to bridge sills or imbedded in concrete.

The post 2() is hollow with openings in its opposite sides for the reception of the ends of the rails 21, 22 and 23. The post is provided with internal webs 28, 29 and 30, the rails 21 being bolted to the vertical web 28, the rails 22 being secured to the vertical web 29 by means of bolts 31 and the ends of rails 75 23 being connected to the horizontal web 30,' by means of bolts 32.

The post 2() has a. removable cover plate 33 at its rear side which is detachably in place by means of bolts 34 that extend 80 through the sides of the post and through ears or lugs formed on the cover plate and extending into the post so that the bolts 34 can be passed therethrough. The provision of the cover plate 33 not only facilitates man- 85 ufacture of the post which may be of cast metal, but also permits of access to the fastening device at the interior of the post, such as the bolts 31 and 32 and the other members to be hereinafter described. 9@

The entire structure throughout is preferably composed of metal such as iron or steel, the top rails 21 being of'generally chel form. The ends of the rails'21 extend into the post adjacent to its upper end and are @5 secured together by means of a tie bar or splice plate 36 that is bolted to the demnding Harige 37 that constitutes an extension of the front edge of the rail, as shown more clearlin Fig. 2.- The tie bars 36 are of such :f g y that when fastened to the rails 21 by means of bolts 38, the connection formed thereby has tensile strength substantially equal to the tensile strength of the rails 21 individually, so that there will be as great resistance to deection or breakage of the rails at their points of juncture as at points intermediate the posts. The great tensile strength of the connections between the rail ends results in a structure whose resistance to shocks is not limited by the strength of the posts so that even if the posts should become broken, the rails would be effective to resist lateral deflection. Furthermore, the rails serve to reinforce the posts, by reason of their tensional strength.

The intermediate rails 22 are of channel form and are connected together by splice bars 40 that are bolted thereto by Ameans of bolts 41 to produce the desired tensional strength as in the case of the tie bar 36 and the rails 21. The bolts 31 also extend through the splice bars 40. The intermediate member 22 is positioned so that its face will be at about the height where it will be engaged by the hubs or bumper bars of vehicles, so that not only is great strength provided at points where impacts are most likely to occur, but blows will be deiiected.

The bottom rails 23 are shown as connected together by means of a tie plate 42, in a manner similar to the connections of the other rail ends but since these rails are located at a low point where shocks are not likely to be so great, a connection of less strength could be provided.

The pickets 24 are secured at their upper ends to the flange 37 of the top rail and at their intermediate ends are inturned for attachment to the horizontal ianges of the rails 22, by means of the rivets 44.

Panels 45 of decorative appearance, which may consist of rectangularly-arranged bars welded together, or of castings, are secured in place by means of bars 46 extending from the corners thereof, the upper ends of the bars being fastened to the flanges 37 of the top rails 21 and the lower ends thereof being outfturned and fastened to the top ianges of the rails 22.

In Fig. 3, I show a structure wherein the intermediate rails are each composed of a'bent plate or a pair of Z bars 50, arranged to produce a channel-like eii'ect and the bent plate or Z bar of each pair being connected to a corresponding Z bar of another pair by means of a tie bar 51 that corresponds to the tie bar 40 of Fig. 2. The tie bar is preferably bolted to the horizontal wall of the Z bar. The pickets 52 extend completely from the bottom rail to the top rail and are secured to said rails and to the intermediate rails lby rivets or the like.

Fig. 4 shows a structure similar to that of tie bar 67 which corres Fig. 3 but wherein only a single Z bar 54 is employed instead of the double Z bar arrangement of Fig. 3. The Z bars of both of these figures not only serve as a convenient means for attaching the pickets thereto but are convenient of assembly and have great strength.

It will be understood that the tie bars are all of sulcient strength, and are connected to the Z bars with a suilcient number of bolts, to give the desired tensional strength as explained above in connection with the description of the tie bars 36 and the rails 21.

Referring now to Figs. 5 and 6, I show a post- 60, top rails 61,l intermediate rails 62, bottom rails 63 and pickets 64. The post 60 has a horizontal web 65 to which the rails 61 are fastened by means of rivets or bolts 66, the rails being connected together by a nds to the tie bars 36 and 40 of Figs. 1 an 2.

The intermedlate rails 62 are connected by means of bolts 68 to a vertical web 69 which is formed in the post, and the ends of the rails 62 are connected by a tie bar 70. The bottom rails 63 have their ends connected to a post web 71 and are tied together by a splice bar or tie bar 72.

The ends of the rails 61, 62 and 63 preferably extend through openings in the sldes of the posts as in the case of the structure of Fig. 1, but it is not essential that they extend into the post, which may be a rolled section such as an H section, since they are rigidly connected to each other and to the post by means of the tie bars 67, and 72. The pickets 64 are in the form of rods which extend through holes in the flanges of the rails 61, 62 and 63, and they have either a drive t or are threaded at their ends for the reception of nuts to positively hold them against vertical movement.

Figs. 7 and 8 show a structure wherein top rails 80 extend into the sides of the posts and are merely bolted to a vertical web 81 within the post. Similarly, the intermediate rails 82 are bolted to a web 83 formed interiorly of the post, and the bottom rails 84 are secured to a web 85.

1n order to provide desired tensile strength for the rail structure as a whole, I place cables 86 and 87 within the rails 80 and 82, no cable being ordinarily required for the bottom rails 84 which are not likely to be directly subjected to impacts. In the case of bridge railings, the cables 86 and 87 will ordinarily extend throughout the length of the railing structure and be firmly anchored at their ends to the main structure of the bridge or to posts or blocks imbedded in the ground. Alongside highways the cables will be of suitable length and have their ends anchored,`

as for instance, in the manner of guy wires. The cables are held in position within the rails 8O and 82 by locating them behind the ends of pickets 88 andv 89 respectively, the picket ends being bolted or riveted to the various rails as shown more clearly in Fic. 8.

The cables 86 and 87 are of sucient strength to withstand impacts of vehicles and serve not lonly to reinforce the rigid portions of the railing structure, but in case any of the rigid parts such as the rails and the posts break under impact, the cables will still prevent vehicles from leaving the roadway, thus avoiding the more serious results of accidents such as occur when a vehicle goes completely through a railing structure.

In 9, I show a structure wherein the lower cable 87, placed at approximately the height of an automobile hub, is supported by pickets 91 which, intermediate their ends, are bent to approximately semi-circular form, the pickets thus formed being closed 'by a plate or plates 92 that are riveted to the pckets, the plate acting as a deiecting mem- In Fig. 10, the arrangement of Fig. 9 is reversed in that the pickets 91a are straight and the curved recess for the cable is provided by bending the plate 92a that is fastened to the pickets. In these two forms of devices, the intermediate rail may be eliminated and the cable 87 depended upon to take up shocks at that point.

Fig. llshows an intermediate ,rail structure similar to that of Fig. 3, but containing a cable 93 instead of havin the ends of adjacent rails connected by tie ars. Of course it will be understood that the tie bars may be employed in this structure and the cable uti-` lized in addition thereto to provide additional strength.

Fig. 12 Ashows an intermediate rail 95 of angle form wherein the cable 96 is retained in place by the lower ends of picket members 97 that are bent forwardly and riveted to the vertical flange of the rail 95, the lower picket members 98 being riveted to the picket members 97.

Fig. 13 shows an intermediate rail 99 of Z form wherein the pickets are riveted to the rear :flange thereo the upper picket members havin their lower ends 100 inturned to confine t e cable within the rail.

I claim as my invention l 1. In a railing structure having posts, a rail of generally channel form having its ends supported by said posts and positioned with ts intermediate or web portion in a vertical plane, and pickets secured to the flanges of said rail and bridging the space between such flanges, in spaced relation to the web of the rail.

2. In a railing structure having posts, a

rail portion having its ends supported by the f posts, and pickets secured to the said rail portion, the rail portion being composed of two l arallel Z bars having their webs disa5 pose in horizontal planes, and with a flange jacent flan e of another bar, the icketsbeing secure to the other flanges 0 said bars and extending across the space between the bars to serve as tie members therefor.

3. rIn a railing structure having posts, a rail connected to the posts, the rail being of generally channel form, with its lweb disosed in a verticalplane, and having iangelike extensions at its edges disposed in planes parallel to the plane of the web, and pickets secured to saidextensions.

4. Railing structure comprising supports, a hollow top rail having a longitudinally- -extending opening through one side thereof and having a. bottom wall portion that forms a continuation of the other side of the rail, pickets secured at their upper ends to said bottom wall, means for connecting the said rail to the supports, and means for supporting the lower portions of the pickets.

5. Railing structure comprising posts, a

rail connected at its ends to said posts and kat a height where it may be engaged by the hubs or bumper bars of vehicles, the rail being of generally channel form,` with its web portion in a vertical plane, and a tensioned cable disposed within said channel.

7. Railing structure comprising posts, a rail connected at its ends to the posts and rigidly supported against vertical movement, at a height where it may be engaged by the hubs or bumper bars of vehicles, a tensioned cable disposed against a vertical face of the rail, and means for preventing relative vertical displacement of the cable relative to the rail.

8. A railing comprising posts, an angular rail rigldly supported by said posts, and pickets secured to the rail, portions of said pickets and rail being arranged in spaced relation to each other, and a tensioned cable located within said space.

9. In a ralling structure having posts, a rail connected to the posts, the rail being of generally channel form whose web is disposed 1n a vertical plane and having its iianged portions extending rearwardly, and pickets disposed rearwardly of said flanged portions and secured to the rail.

10. In a railing structure having posts, 'a rail connected to the posts,`the rail having a orwardly-exposed face disposed at approximately the height of vehicle hubs, and having 11. A guard fence comprising spaced posts, top, bottom and intermediate rails connecting said posts, the intermediate rail being a buling rail having a, vertically-disposed face 5 and rearwardly-dlverging flanges, the vertical face being disposed outwardly of the bottom rail and panel members secured to th lower ange and to the bottom rail in a. plane rearwardly of said vertical face.

12. A fence structure comprising a. buffer rail having a substantially vertical face with rearwardly-directed flan es, an upper panel secured to the upper ange and disposed realrwardly of the vertical face of said buffer ral Y In testimony whereof I, the said PERCY E. HUNTER have hereunto set my hand.

PERCY E. HUNTER. 

